


Child of The Future

by InterstellarVagabond



Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 15:05:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10027193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InterstellarVagabond/pseuds/InterstellarVagabond
Summary: Jack rescues a lost girl and thinks about the family he might have had if Aku had not turned his world upside down.





	

It wasn’t Jack’s first time caring for a lost child, and this one was many years older than the baby he’d rescued months ago, but he still found himself searching anxiously for the few memories he had of how his parents cared for him. 

The girl, a small thing probably no more than eight or nine, poked at the shattered body of a beetle robot with a stick. Her curious probing caused the robot to jerk suddenly, and she ran with a slight whimper to hide behind Jack’s legs. 

“Do not worry, it cannot harm you,” Jack said. 

“Do robots die?” the girl asked in reply. Jack opened his mouth to answer the question, then paused as he realized he did not know the answer. His face became puzzled as he considered the idea, and the girl blinked up at him expectantly.

“I…am not quite sure,” Jack said finally. “I do not know enough about robots to say for sure, I am sorry.”

“Did my parents die?” the girl asked, this time her voice trembled.

“…I will be honest, I do not know the answer to that either,” Jack said, kneeling and putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “But I promise we are going to look for them. I will protect you until we find your family.”

The girl sniffled but did not cry. She silently took Jack’s hand in hers, the samurai’s calloused hand making hers seem even smaller in comparison. Jack nodded his approval and set off in the direction the beetle robots and their would-be-prey had come from.  
The silence seemed to grow heavier around them, and Jack found himself peering down nervously at the girl to make sure she was okay. 

“You were very brave,” he decided to say. The girl did not answer, or even give a sign that she had heard. “What is your name?” 

“Mari,” the girl said. 

“That is a lovely name.” Jack smiled. “Mari, do you like stories?”

At the girl’s nod, Jack began to tell his old bedtime story from so long ago. As he recited it, he found himself substituting his own words for his mother’s here and there. Was his memory fading? He had been so long away from his mother and his own time. Perhaps he would start to forget his old life.  
Jack had never considered this before. He knew he was growing more and more accustomed to life in the future, he had even begun to learn how to use the technology that had once confused him. While before he hadn’t bothered, knowing in certainty he would not be long in the future, now he felt the past was further out of his reach than ever. Was he becoming tied to the future? Would he never return home, and instead become a part of this world as his memories faded?

Jack finished his story without betraying the thoughts that were running through his head, and Mari seemed to have enjoyed it. She was smiling now, and swinging the hand that   
Jack held so that their arms went back and forth. 

As the day went on Jack find no sign of the girl’s home, and she was unable to tell him which direction to go. The sun began to set, and Jack noticed Mari tiring. She yawned and her footsteps slowed. Jack knelt down so he was eye-level with her, still holding her hand.

“Would you like me to carry you?” he asked. Mari nodded, her eyelids fluttering sleepily. Jack lifted the girl onto his shoulders and continued walking.   
Now that Mari could not see his face, Jack allowed the concern he had been feeling to show there. Concern that came from being unable to find Mari’s family, and concern that he would not see his own again.

Mari’s breath grew slower, and soon she was asleep. Jack smiled at this, and realized suddenly that he had been enjoying entertaining the girl and taking care of her. Perhaps, if Aku had never risen again and Jack had remained in his own time to live a normal life…

Jack shook his head as if to dispel the thought. It was hard enough knowing his real family was alone without him without thinking up a possible family he might have had. 

It was night by the time Jack heard people calling Mari’s name. He headed for the sound and found two very relieved women who hugged Mari tight with tears in their eyes. 

“Mommy, mama,” Mari cried in joy, hugging her parents tightly.

“Oh Mari, you did a good job, you ran when we told you to, you did great,” one of the women said, stroking her daughter’s hair. The other woman looked up at Jack with tears of gratitude in her eyes.

“I know you. I always thought the stories exaggerated, but you do help people don’t you?” she said. 

“I will not rest until Aku’s evil leaves this world in peace. All innocents are under my protection,” Jack said firmly.

“Thank you.” The woman nodded. 

Mari tugged on her mother’s clothes to indicate she wanted out of the hug. Her mom withdrew her arms and watched as her daughter pulled the ribbon out of her hair and held it up to Jack.

“Here. This is for your ponytail.” Mari held up the pink ribbon with a bright smile.

“Why thank you!” Jack chuckled, removing the pin that held his top-knot and replacing it with the pink ribbon. “I shall treasure it.”


End file.
